Shelters



United States Patent C SHELTERS Otto Heinrich Drager, Lubeck, GermanyApplication November 7, 1955, Serial No. 545,445 4 Claims. (Cl. 72-1)This invention relates to air raid shelters. In particular, theinvention is directed to the construction of an emergency exit shaft foran underground shelter.

In the co-pending application of Drager, Serial No. 514,618, led lunel0, 1955, and now abandoned, for Emergency Exits for Shelters, anunderground shelter is disclosed which is composed of a number ofcylindrical segments joined together. The segments may be made ofprestressed concrete. An exit shaft is shown at the end of the shelter.Such a structure has a disadvantage in that ground movement may cause aseparation between the shelter and the emergency shaft.

The `object of the instant invention is to provide a cylindricalunderground shelter composed of a plurality of segments with anemergency exit shaft which cannot be displaced relative to the shelter.

In general, the object is obtained by locating the emergency shaft ontop of the shelter, with the wall of the shaft passing through theceiling portion of the shelter to afford communication with the interiorof the shelter. This structure is stable and is easily fabricated. Thewall of the shaft may bear on the floor portion of the shelter, or maybe otherwise supported from the oor. In any event, a relativedisplacement between the shelter and shaft is prevented so that noseparation can take place.

The cylindrical elements forming the shelter adjacent the position ofthe shaft are each provided with a shoulder or projection on theirceiling sides where contact is made with the wall of the shaft. Theseshoulders are joined together by a locking ring which can be composed ofsteel or reinforced concrete. Furthermore, these segments have openceiling portions through which the wall of the shaft passes, and theedges of the openings form a seat for the shaft. This permits theconstruction of a simple, tube-like shelter of prestressed concrete.

The shaft portion which passes through the ceiling of the shelter ispreferably provided with an annular ange which engages the shoulders ofthe cylindrical elements forming the shelter, this flange extending overthe shoulders. The shaft itself is composed of a plurality ofcylindrical rings, the lowermost of which is provided with the flange.In order to further support the shaft, the cylindrical elements formingthe shelter are provided with wings upon which the lowest element of theshaft rests. These Winged elements may be tied together by reinforcingrods which also can function as rungs for climbing out of the shelter.In the shaft, reinforcing rods can be exposed to form ruugs in theshaft.

The means by which the objects of the invention are obtained aredescribed more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view through the shelter andshaft;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional View on the line 4 4 of Figure 3.

'I 'he tubular shelter 1 is composed of a plurality of cylmdricalelements 2, preferably of prestressed concrete.

Patented Sept. 15, 1959 ice Mounted on shelter 1 and extending throughthe ceiling thereof is a shaft 3 which may also be formed of a pluralityof cylindrical elements.

In the shelter the cylindrical elements 4 and 4 adjacent the shaft 3have crescent-shaped openings in the ceiling thereof. 'Ilhe ends ofsegment 4 are provided with circular segment wings 5. The lower edge 6of shaft 3 rests on the top of these wings. The intermediate cylindricalelement 4 is likewise provided with a centrally inwardly extending wing8, which also provides a support for the lower edge 6 of shaft 3.

On the upper sides of segments 4 are shoulders or projections 4a, andthe segment 4 is likewise provided with projections 7. These shouldersare joined together by the locking ring 9 composed of steel orreinforced concrete. Consequently, the segments are connected togetherso that they cannot be displaced with respect to each other or to theshaft.

The lowest cylindrical element 10 of shaft 3 has a circumferential ange11 which extends over and bears upon the tops of shoulders 4a and 7.This constitutes a further means of holding the cylindrical elementstogether.

Wing elements 5 are connected by reinforcing rods 12 which also formrungs. Similarly, rungs 13 are mounted in shaft 3.

The shelter can be easily mass produced inasmuch as it is composed ofprecast elements 2, 4 and 4. Likewise, the shaft 3 is composed ofcylindrical elements and base element 10. The locking ring 9 serves toconnect the elements together on a simple, unobjectionable manner.

Having now described the means by which the objects of the invention areobtained, I claim:

l. An underground shelter comprising a horizontally extending housingcomposed of cylindrical segments each having a floorportion, side wallportions and a ceiling portion, an upwardly extending emergency shaftmounted on said housing intermediate the longitudinal ends of thehousing, said shaft having a cylindrical shaft element eX- tendingthrough the ceiling portion of at least one segment and having acircumferential flange bearing upon the top of said housing, and wingwalls extending from the side wall portions of said one segment anddirectly supporting the lower edge of said cylindrical shaft elementupon said Hoor portion.

2. An underground shelter as in claim l, said Wing walls extendinginwardly from an end of said one segment.

3. An underground shelter as in claim 2, further comprising anothercylindrical segment having wing walls for supporting said cylindricalshaft element, and a third cylindrical segment between the othersegments and having similar Wing walls centrally thereof.

4. An underground shelter as in claim 3, further comprising a projectionon the upper side of each cylindrical segment having wing walls andforming a bearing for the circumferential flange of said cylindricalshaft element, and a locking ring surrounding said projection forjoilaling together the cylindrical segments having wing w s.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

